The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (Hunger Games #0)

 Author: Suzanne Collins

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Number of Pages: 439

Publisher: Scholastic Press

First Thoughts:

I wasn't sure what to expect going into this book, I've read the first three books and was blown away but after reading this which took place way before the previous books I wasn't sure I would be able to get into it. And in a way it was true, I had a hard time attaching myself with the characters. Not to mention it's been awhile since I read the first three books. It took me awhile to read this book because I just couldn't get into it until I finally forced myself to read it. And thank goodness I did because I would've missed out on an emotional deep amazingly detailed story. This was President Snows story and why he became the cold hard man he is.

Summary:

Coriolanus Snow is young and is struggling to just keep a roof over his head. Not many know he has money troubles but he is determined to graduate and able to go to college but where is he going to get the money?

The Hunger Games are about to start again and he wants to snag one of the most coveted spots in it; being a mentor. If his tribute wins, he not only gets the glory but he gets into college and money, oh the money. He could keep his late parents place, his reputation intact. 

Then comes Lucy Gray from district 12. She's anything but dark. She has spunk but can she actually win this thing?

Snow is desperate to win this thing but with winning comes deception. Can Coriolanus pull this off or will his family's once honored name be strike from the books?

Plot:

This book is the prequel to The Hunger Games, and gives an in-depth look into Snows young adulthood. It takes place before he became president. You get to see the struggles he was dealt with that shaped him to become the man we saw in the first three Hunger Games books. It was very weird at times and by the end there were so many questions left unanswered, most of them surrounding Lucy Gray. In ways I hated this book but in another way I absolutely thought it was brilliant. 

It takes place with the Hunger Games and Snow being picked to mentor district's 12 girl; Lucy Gray. At first Snow was dreading his tribute; thinking he was so sure he had a loser but soon Lucy shows her inner-beauty and determination. Her voice and outfit catching the eyes of the capital. 

The Hunger Games Is a lot different than the ones we saw in the first two books. You get to see the beginning policies. It was heart-breaking and moving to see how they were treated then. To experience it when it was in it's beginning stages. It was deeply emotional and weird, way different than the Hunger Games we are familiar with. 

It was hard to read, it may be one of the reasons I had to put it down because most of the book was serious. So, be prepared, find that one  sure fire book to cheer you up. Definitely know if you've read the first three books, this is a must read!

Romance:

The relationship between Snow and Lucy is complicated. I think it was a one sided relationship. One just wanted to desperately make a connection while the other let life complicate it. This was not a strong point for the book like it was in the first three books. So if you're looking for a romance book, this isn't it.

Characters:

Lucy Gray was the saving grace of this book. Without her personality  and spunk this book would've been unreadable. She was so well developed that it took a very deep and dark story into moments of relief. I'm not saying she was bright all the time but she was the comic relief in this book. And the other characters were interesting in the sense that they had their own roles and most of them stood out. The other tributes were different for sure, some nice others not so much. These characters have a lot of depth. They don't just fill the spaces, most of them contribute very important things in the story. Whether they contributed to the climax of the story or even the stepping stones to storyline they are all important.  Snow was the main focus in this book. This book was mainly written for him, to show the readers where he was before he became president. One thing to know is this was focused on the path to presidency but not the presidency itself. You look at Snow in the beginning. 

Transformation of Character: 

Snow changed the most in this book. He changes from something so innocent into something undeniable. At first his changes were subtle, he was struggling with inner turmoil and then near the end it became more prominent and it was hard to see. And then by the last word, everything had changed. Lucy maybe made subtle changes by the end of the book. During the games is when she changed some. But like with Katniss in the other 3 books you can see why that would happen. Overall, I think this was an important aspect of the book.

Description:

There was a lot of details in the scenes in this book, maybe even too much. It was so dark and weird. I remember the snake scene so well, and the Hunger Game itself. It's been months since reading this book and there's scenes that will be hard to forget. Details I don't even wish to remember. It took a lot of will power to just finish this book, not because it was terrible writing but because it dealt with serious problems. Ms. Collins can really let the reader picture what's happening in each scene. The description was great in this book, you were able to read like you can watch tv. I've seen there are a lot of complaints about the weird descriptions and things happening and I have to say I somewhat feel that way but you have to understand that's what kind of world that is. You can't change the world based on preference, you have to press on. So though weird things happened it had to happen and it made the book even more relatable and true.

Style:

I absolutely love Ms. Collins writing. She's talented and very creative. Just creating a prequel for the first three books after so long was amazing. I don't want to say this book was bad because it absolutely wasn't but it takes a special kind of person to both start this book and finish it. I loved seeing Snow's point of view because you didn't get it in the previous three books. You just saw him as the antagonist without the background. I loved seeing the way the characters were introduced, it allowed the audience to get better perspectives on the world and to see how some consequences came to light and what cause them. 

Quote of the Book:

" "Do you hear that, Coriolanus? It's the sound of snow falling.""

Last Thoughts:

Though it took me a while to read this book I led it. Some readers might not be able to enjoy this book like I did but if you read the previous book I would recommend this book. At least attempt to read it. But if you don't want a serious read then don't even attempt to read this. Also if you do end up reading this I advise to have a more light/funny book to read. It will allow you to take a break from this book and then pick it right up after you've had time to "rest."

Rating:

4 Blooms!

The Brightest Night (Origin #3) Review

 

Author: Jennifer L. Armentrout

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Number of Pages: 512

Publisher: Tor Teen

First Thoughts:

I was anticipating this the moment I finished reading "The Burning Star (Origin #2). This series is addicting. I love Ms. Armentrout's writing. She's not just a great writer but amazingly creative. This book did not disappoint and the ending? OMG! I did not expect to cry while I read through the book but boy did the tears flow. So be prepared and get a box of soft Kleenex's and be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster of a story.

Summary:

Evelyn's life has done a complete 180 since Luc came back into her life.  She's no longer the person she used to be and more conflicted than ever before except about Luc...Luc...Luc...she could never be conflicted about Luc anymore; right?

Both Evelyn and Luc are on the run. They find solace in a secret compound formed to protect the "good guys". But with a secret compound comes greater conflict. Evelyn's considered dangerous after her "transformation" but her heart is good. How do you convince the good guys that your good too?

Soon they find themselves in the fight of their life, their paths twist and turn so much that it's hard to see the path meant for them, in the end will Both Evelyn's and Luc's path go side by side or will they twist so much that they break apart?

Join in the rebellion, your new family is waiting for you....

Plot:

So much happened in this book. The plot was amazing, sometimes predictable but the ending was anything but. This has a pretty fast pace, though some believe it to be a little slow at times. As for me it's anything but. Ms.Armentrout's writing is like a drug, I can't get enough of it. This was 512 pages of pure ecstasy, an adrenaline rush at every turn. You learned more about Eve's "abilities" and even more about Luc. There was a lot more you learned not only about the characters but about the world itself. You have to read the first 2 books before reading this one or you'll be confused. This is another notch on the bedpost. It builds on from the first 2 books. I don't want to go into too much detail on the count it's best experienced from being the reader but be prepared for deep slumbered emotions. You might think what's going to happen won't affect you but oh will it! Don't say I didn't warn you! 

Romance:

Evelyn's and Luc's relationship is one of fairytales. The love between them is so sweet and deep that no one could ever doubt they were meant to be together till the bitter end. Everyone craves that so sweet love that Eve and Luc have. But behind every picture perfect love comes...complications. The end will leave you gasping and confused. Be prepared!

Characters:

Luc is such a lovable character at times and also frustrating at others. And Eve? She has a heart of gold but seems to doubt herself more than she does to the new people she meets. The compound they end up in brings on almost a whole new set of characters, each donned in their own personality and life. I really enjoyed meeting some old characters as well and some that were named in the previous 2 books but were only met in this one. They created this world and together they made something special. Each character had their own but necessary role. Some characters I hated but not any fault from the author more as it was on purpose. I fell in love with some characters as well, especially Grayson. It took awhile but once I found out more about him I can't all but love him. Zoe was there and so was Damien. All I'm saying is this book added so much more in-depth characters! You just got to see for yourself.

Transformation of Character:

A lot of the characters transformed in more ways than one. Luc was still lovable but different by the end (nope! You can't get the reason out of me I swear!). Eve did some changing but was still just as lovable. I wouldn't really say this was the strong point of the book except for one character; Grayson. He had this whole other side to him that comes out slowly, chapter by chapter.

Description:

There's a lot of emotional description in this book. It's sharp at times and smooth at others. I loved the description of the disserted city, it was so well written and easy to imagine. The compound they stay at is well described also, you can picture each little fine detail that it's like you're actually there. But like I mentioned above, the emotional description has got to be one of the best parts of this book. Without the emotion this book would fall flat. I got into each characters head, some by other characters conversation and some from the main point of view. But it's exciting at parts and devastating in others. I don't really want to ruin this book for you so I'll just leave it as this; without one tiny grain of sand in the oyster there could never be the pearls of the book.

Style:

Loved the writing!! I know it might sound redundant but I can't stop saying this author knows how to write! She's creative and very talented. This was written in Eve's point of view. You got in her head and it allowed the audience to have some secrets hidden to create a more exciting and fun story to experience. It was written in first person so you really got into Eve's head. Though I wanted to get in Luc's head. He's such a complex and complicated character that it would be amazing to get a glimpse into his head; what makes him tock? Though I must admit most of the time the reasons behind his decisions lies in the heart of the one he loves the most. I enjoyed this book to the very last page but the author's decision at the end left me itching to want to read the next book and I don't know when it'll come out. Just the two dreaded words, "Coming soon."

Quote of the book:

"I rested my cheek against his shoulder. "Do you think he will come back?"

"I think so."

"Why?"

"Because after meeting you, I don't see how anyone could stay away.""

Last Thoughts:

I cannot wait to read the fourth and final book. I want it to be published already but again I don't. I don't want to have to say goodbye to such a great cast of characters. And this world? Though I personally wouldn't want to live in it, I still want to see it expand. I want to see just one book where there's no issues just pure bliss. Guess you can't get everything you want. Am I the only one wanting a book like that? Huh? Guess so...

Rating:

4 Blooms (the ending caused that last bloom to fall to the ground, along with my tears.)

The Duke and I (Bridgertons book #1) Review

Author: Julia Quinn

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Number of Pages: 384

Publisher: Avon Books

Warning! For Mature audience only! Definitely steamy scenes for sure!

First Thoughts:

Like many of you I only just discovered this series by watching Season 1 of "The Bridgertons" on Netflix. I instantly fell in love with the show. So when I heard it was based off a book, I was beyond excited. And to add to the excitement my birthday wasn't too far off and was able to snag the whole series for my present! Now that was awesome. I immediately started the first book and wow! I thought the show was awesome but the book? Even better! You get more insight and backstory, it was like I missed parts of the story in the show. The first season of "The Bridgertons" is based off just this one book. So without any more lengthy wording, here's exactly what I thought of the book.

Summary: 

In the buzzing city of London in the 1800's Daphne Bridgerton is in search of her special someone. She's the fourth out of 8 children in the Bridgerton family. The first daughter of the Bridgerton family and she has a lot riding on her shoulders. Not just any eligible bachelor will do. And though most of the men who are eligible are her friends many only see her that way; a friend. Daphne feels the pressure from her mother to find a husband but unable to bear any of the men she's seen countless times she has to seek a plan.

Duke Simon Basset has had a hard childhood, not beloved by his own father and his mother dying at birth, there leaves a lot to be desired. He wants nothing more than to be single the rest of his life but being a Duke other things are expected.

Together the two form a "fake" relationship. Daphne can look more disable and Simon can take a break from the crushing elite society but can they ignore the sparks flying between them?

Plot:

The story was captivating the moment it started at Simon's backstory. I was intrigued with the Bridgerton family. It was a bit dramatic at times but it just added to the excitement. If you expect this to be just like the show you'll be pleasantly surprised. In this first book there was no Queen; no prince. This wasn't Daphne's first "Season." But I found a new love in the book. I love both the book and the show but in different ways. In the book you experience a little more of detail and inner-thoughts. You see more on the lives of the characters. Daphne wants to start a life of a wife; she wants children but she can't seem to catch the eye of any of the men in the elite society. Everyone knows her because of her name. But all the men only see her as a friend. Then, Simon comes into Daphne's life, and with a certain finesse they form a plot to appear together though their relationship is a farce. Simon doesn't want to date and Daphne wants to be married. Being in a relationship with Simon they both get what they want. Since Simon is a Duke being in a relationship with him will make Daphne desirable; the diamond of the season! I really liked that the book took different turns than in the show. This plot was filled with hidden gems and made reading the book fun and exciting!

Romance:

The romance was more pronounced in the book more than the show. You really got to know both Daphne and Simon. The love they feel starts as a spark and then dials up the more they spend time together. They both want to deny the feelings they have for each other but they also seem to proud to admit the love they have for each other. But when they are compromised they are forced to do something one loves the other hates. Soon the battle of wills comes head to head and their fate will be determined. The romance was definitely one of the best parts of this book! Hello! If you hate romance then this isn't worth your time.

Characters:

I think my favorite character has to be Simon. He has so much stacked against him and yet he has such a beautiful soul. The books starts with him as a kid then moves to him as an adult. He's such a complex person. He is having to constantly control his feelings and I'm sure it exhausts him. He has to be one of the strongest character in this book. Daphne is a well rounded character too but she's different. Such polar opposite than Simon. She had a good childhood (aside from losing her father). It was just fun watching these two characters join together. The secondary characters like Daphne's family were just as important. They made the book more enjoyable because they had life of their own. Definitely a great part of this book.

Transformation of Character:

Both Daphne and Simon had a beautiful change. Daphne's change was more subtle than Simon's but still beautiful and fun the read. Simon was such a hard and gentle soul. It took a lot for him to just accept himself. He was a relatable character and he had the most to gain from a transformation.

Description:

It had a lot more detail than the movie for sure. It was wonderful to get more detail of the 1800's elite London society. All of the parties they have go through the wee hours of the night. I loved the way the London city landscape was described. I've never visited London(definitely not the 1800's LoL). It was great to picture the different high society mansions. This was a great detailed book and it made me want to read more about this society; to immerse myself in this detail because at times it was so "juicy". The thrill of gossip and seeing how the characters interact with each other and the situations that was thrown their way. This author was great at attention to detail. Definitely worth the sometimes lengthy detail about the situations.

Style:

This was written from the perspective of Simon and Daphne. Definitely the perfect for this style of book. It allowed the reader to get a more detailed picture of why the characters were reacting the way they were. I loved reading Ms. Quinn's writing. It was so smooth and enjoyable. I sometimes shy of reading books based in the past because things can get crossed and contradict what it really was like back then, but this book did not disappoint. It was fun and adding in Lady Whistledown was just the edge it needed. The suspense was wonderful, who was Lady Whistledown and how did she know the society's best kept secrets? And unlike the tv series we were not shown who it was in this book. Each chapter Lady Whistledown's gossip was splayed before the story continued. Thank you Ms.Quinn for such brilliant talent!

Quote of the Book:

"She felt tremors spread through her body, a stange shaking over which she had no control. And then she realized she was crying. Without a sound, without even a caught breath, she was crying.

    Dear God, what was she going to do?"

Last Thoughts:

I don't think I can truly explain how fun and great this book was! I absolutely fell in love with this world and would recommend it to anyone 18 and older and who loves a good romance! I will definitely read the entire series because I definitely love the writing and romance! I'm such a sap! So what are you waiting for? Get to your bookstore of choice and get it!!!

Rating:

4 Blooms!!